“The heart is more deceitful than all else and is desperately sick;Who can understand it?” (Jeremiah 17:9 NASB) Sin originated out of deception. Sometimes deception is hidden in the most obvious places, making us clueless about its destructive nature. Socially accepted behavior often camouflages unrighteousness. Popular opinion does not always reveal right from wrong. The Bible labels alternative […]
Author Archives: kenbarnes
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Nov
Nov
In the cartoon Peanuts, Lucy once said to Charlie Brown, “We are put here to serve others. Charlie responded, “Then what are the others here for?” At times life does seem to be unfair. For a season, givers may find themselves surrounded by takers. Givers can feel unjustly used, yet, in the final analysis, takers […]
‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” (Acts 20:35b NLT) In the cartoon Peanuts, Lucy once said to Charlie Brown, “We are put here to serve others.” Charlie responded, “Then what are the others here for?” At times life does seem to be unfair. For a season, givers may find themselves surrounded […]
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Our culture is increasingly becoming consumed by instant gratification. We like fast food, get rich quick schemes, quickie divorce, and having things before we can afford them. We make choices for immediate satisfaction, yet, ignoring the long-range consequences of those decisions. If we live in this manner, we learn that dwelling only on short-term gain […]
She (Jerusalem) defiled herself with immorality and gave no thought to her future. (Lamentations 1:9a NLT) Our culture is becoming increasingly consumed by immediate gratification. We like fast food, get rich quick schemes, quickie divorce, having things before we can afford them. We make choices for instant satisfaction, yet, ignoring the long-range consequences of […]
The sum of Your word is truth, And every one of Your righteous ordinances is everlasting. (Psalms 119:160 NASB) All of God’s word equals truth (All God’s words = truth). If you remove any part of one side of an equation, the values are no longer equal. If you eliminate any part of God’s word, you never arrive […]
Only in this way could he set free all who have lived their lives as slaves to the fear of dying. (Hebrews 2:15 NLT) Fear is a hard taskmaster. It is the slave master that has no compassion. The foreboding of death is the ultimate fear, yet, Jesus Christ came to deliver us from […]
Do you remember what happened to so-and-so? Usually, we remember the last thing that happens to a person. Unfortunately, the final episode in our life may not be the most representative of our entire life. Benjamin Franklin once said, “It takes many good deeds to build a good reputation, but only one bad one to […]
Even though the fig trees have no blossoms, and there are no grapes on the vines;even though the olive crop fails, and the fields lie empty and barren;even though the flocks die in the fields, and the cattle barns are empty,yet I will rejoice in the Lord! I will be joyful in the God of my […]
“Are you the Messiah we’ve been expecting, or should we keep looking for someone else?” (Matthew 11: 3 NLT) John the Baptist in prison In your spiritual journey, have you had some unfulfilled expectations? Has God done things you did not expect or did not do things you were expecting? Join the club. Even John the […]